A switch stand operates to move a pair of switch points of a railroad switch between straight and turnout side stock rails to divert rolling stock from one track to another. Adjacent the switch points, the curved turnout side stock rail bends or curves away from the straight main line side stock rail. Traditionally, railroad gage plate assemblies have been incorporated into railway trackwork at a switch location adjacent the ends of the switch points to provide positive vertical support, correct angular alignment and specified lateral spacing for the straight and turnout side stock rails of the railroad switch. Typically, a railroad gage plate assembly has a pair of machined and fabricated steel gage plate ends that are rigidly connected at their inner ends to a central insulative member which serves to rigidly connect the two gage plate ends and to electrically isolate them. Each of the gage plate ends has a rail seat at the outer or field end thereof which accommodates the base of one of the stock rails. Because the gage plate ends are rigidly connected and because the radii of the turnout side stock rails differs among railroad switch assemblies, a large number of different gage plate assemblies must be manufactured to accommodate the different lateral distances and different switch angles which occur between a straight main line side stock rail and a curved turnout side stock rail. It is not unusual for a railroad to have to inventory as many as fifty different gage plate assemblies to accommodate the different switch configurations within their trackwork.
It is desirable to provide a single gage plate assembly which accommodates substantially all of the different lateral spacings and switch angles which may occur between the straight (main line) side and turnout side stock rails within different railroad switches.